South West firefighters have issued an "A-grade muppet alert" after local rangers were forced to extinguish a campfire left unattended near Margaret River on New Year's Eve.
The Wallcliffe Volunteer Fire Brigade described the level of stupidity of those who set the fire as "staggering".
The alarm was raised after logs were left burning following a party at Kilcarnup.
When rangers arrived to put the fire out, the partygoers were asleep in their tents.
"This could have been a complete fire disaster," the volunteer brigade posted on social media.
"Only one wayward spark into unburnt bush and fire would be loose in the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park.
"Another ten minutes with that wind behind it and the whole thing would be roaring through the bush toward people's homes in Kilcarnup, Burnside and possibly the outskirts of town."
Firefighters said there would have been no chance of rescue for the campers, with a subsequent fire blocking access to emergency crews.
It's not the only time the volunteer brigade has spoken out on careless fire starters.
On Monday they referred to the "knobheadedness" of people lighting fires in campsites over the summer break.
Two campfires were extinguished at Quinninup Falls and Hooley Road, another at Boranup Beach.
"Seems a few people need reminders of what an escaped campfire in summer can look like," they said.
"On average, rangers are extinguishing two campfires a day.
"This is just between the Margaret River and Boranup stretch of the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park.
In 2011 a fire tore through Margaret River, destroying 39 homes and damaging 26 others.
Gracetown came under threat early the following year.
